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From: Brian & Karen Bell <bgbell@mdn.net>
Subject: Re: Dec Ditching Ada?
Date: 1996/08/22
Message-ID: <321D0A61.75D1@mdn.net>#1/1
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Date: 1996-08-22T00:00:00+00:00
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Charlie Cole wrote:
> 
> We are installing new systems -- a bunch of high end PCs and some Alpha workstations and
> moving to Ada95 as our core teaching language.  I was just told by the system administrator
> that Digital is discontinuing it's Ada, saying is was not a viable language.  Anybody know
> about this?  Is this the industry trend?
> 

    DEC's plans (as I understand them) are quite architecture and OS-specific:

       Digital UNIX (Alpha) - To be supplied by Rational Software Corporation as part of
                              a publicly announced 'hardware for software' deal.

       OpenVMS/Alpha        - Not announced yet, but informed sources expect this to be a
                              port of GNAT with all DECisms (STARLET, etc) included; support
                              likely from A Compiler Team located somewhere in New York. I
                              personally hope this available some time in 96Q3 or Q4 because
                              I'm ready to sign a support contract!

       OpenVMS/VAX          - Don't hold your breath. Feasible of course (given the
                              existence of an OVMS/VAX GNU backend) but not viewed by the
                              planners and decision-makers as having sufficient commercial
                              value. Who can say?

       Ada (83)             - Supported as long as customers require it.

    In my opinion as a DEC Ada user since 1985, they (Bevin Brett et al) offered for many
    years the finest Ada (83) compiler implementation available. That DEC made the business
    decision not to engineer an Ada '95 product offering is not a reflection on the
    competence of their software engineers and it is *not* (as near as I can tell) based on
    any kind of expectation that Ada (the language) is on its way out. Rather it is a
    recognition that the cost model for continued Ada development and support was
    inconsistent with DEC's sales model. I can respect that.

    Think about it: If DEC was down on Ada why in hell would they have partnered with RSC
    (or that other acronym) to provide compatible, supported products for their customers?

    Brian Bell
    Working -- but not speaking -- for The Dow Chemical Company.